Apple’s new operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod went live on September 17. How excited should you be? The short answer: ...Very!

After two weeks with iOS 8, the verdict is in and it’s a resounding hooray!

We know... for many, the prospect of installing another major software update on your iPhone, iPad or iPod may seem a bit daunting. Last year’s release of iOS 7 both dazzled and sent shockwaves through the Apple community with its dramatic re-design. But rest assured, this time around Apple hasn’t thrown any major curveballs for you to adapt to. While some design features have been tweaked ever-so-slightly, iOS 8 mainly aims to maximize your device’s capabilities in new and improved ways - some of which we’ve been eagerly awaiting.

If you haven’t installed it yet, go ahead and see for yourself!

Before you install:

You will need at least 4.7GB of free space on your device.

That’s quite a chunk! If you are the kind of user who keeps your device chock full of photos, videos, apps and more, this means you may need to remove some content to make space. Pictures and videos can be imported to your computer or uploaded to a service like DropBox, then deleted from your device. (If you wish, you can put them back after the update is installed). Apps can also be deleted and reinstalled afterwards by accessing your App Store purchase history (using the same Apple ID that you used to get the app originally).

Back up.

Be sure to have a current backup of all the information on your device. You can back up to iCloud, or to be extra sure all your content is safe, import your photos and videos to your computer, then back up your device using the most current version of iTunes.

We’d love to help!

Let us know if you’d like our help to back up, or if you’d like us to take care of installing iOS 8 for you, worry free. We’re here to help and we love to see our customers just as excited as we are about improving their iOS experience.

The goods on what’s new and exciting:

New QuickType predictive text feature makes typing faster and easier by intelligently suggesting words based on context, instead of simply autocorrecting. You can also now add alternative keyboards from the App Store to make use of different typing styles - like swipe typing, for example.

Your device’s camera now features manual focus and exposure controls making it easier to take even better photos, as well as use a timer and take time-lapse video. Your pictures can now be edited and enhanced beautifully directly in the Photos app, and if you use other third-party photo apps, those filters can now be enabled within the Photos app too.

Messages now makes sharing photos and locations easier and more intuitive. To send a photo, you can scroll through your camera roll directly from your message. You can share your location on a map, mute notifications for individual conversations, and leave group conversations. You can also now send recorded voice clips to other iMessage users.

Notifications have become interactive, meaning you can respond to a notification immediately when it pops up, without having to launch the app individually.

In Notification Centre, third-party app Widgets can now be added to customize the kinds of notifications you get - like sports scores or your eBay bid status, for example.

Family Sharing lets you share apps you’ve purchased with other family members. Kids can now request apps that won’t be purchased until their parents approve.

iCloud has improved photo sharing ability across devices and upgraded storage plan options. The new iCloud Drive offers amazing computer-to-device functionality, which will come into full effect when OS X Yosemite is installed on your Mac notebook or desktop.

The new Health app allows your iPhone or iPod to log extensive health and fitness information as well as medical alert information for emergencies.

...and these are just a few of the most notable changes. Other improvements such as Siri getting smarter, the Tips app that gives you Apple’s own tips and instructions on how to get the most out of your device, and little things like the ability to view your battery usage by app, all combine to make us very happy with the new iOS 8 experience.

Apple announced a small batch of iPhone 5's may suddenly experience a shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently. You can find out if your iPhone 5 is part of this small batch by submitting your Serial# at this link:

We'll run a diagnostic test when you come in. Replacements are done in-store and if submitted to Service before noon, we'll have it ready by the end of the day. A One Hour Rush Service for $49.00 is also available.

Note. If your iPhone has damage or modifications which impair the replacement of the battery, the issue will need to be resolved prior to the battery replacement.